Belfast CityBeat

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Citybeat 96.7FM/102.5FM
Broadcast area Greater Belfast on FM & Northern Ireland on DAB
Slogan "More Music More Variety"
Frequency 96.7 MHz Greater Belfast
102.5 MHz
(North Belfast,
Newtownabbey,
Carrickfergus)
Bangor DABNorthern Ireland Wide
Online
First air date 6 April 1990
Format Adult Contemporary
Audience share 11.3% (September 2007, [1])
Power 600W (96.7)
Owner CN Group
Website Citybeat's Official Website

Belfast CityBeat (commonly referred to as just "Citybeat") is a Northern Irish radio station. It broadcasts to Greater Belfast on 96.7 MHz FM and on DAB Digital Radio across all of Northern Ireland. From April 5th, 2007 Citybeat became available on 102.5FM for north Belfast, Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus. As of 2nd November 2007, Citybeat launched a 3rd FM transmitter also broadcasting on 102.5FM for Bangor. Citybeat plays a mixture of songs from the 1980s, 1990s, and later, as well as local news, sport and information. Jordan Richmond was one of the contestants and was invited back for the YS

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In 2007, Citybeat won three awards within as many weeks. The station scooped gongs on a local, national and international level and was the only station from Northern Ireland to receive nominations and subsequent wins at the 'Arquive Commercial Radio Awards' and 'The New York Radio Festival'. Citybeat continues to enjoy listener growth in Belfast attracting a weekly audience of 146,000 listeners in the capital alone. The radio station enjoyed further success during 2007 with its Young Star Search which was Northern Irelands biggest ever kids talent search. The contest proved extremely popular and was hosted by Stuart Robinson.

Citybeat has won more Sony Radio Academy Awards than any other commercial radio station in Northern Ireland along with a number of other top awards. Recent awards include:

  • Sony Gold 2002
  • Sony Gold x2 2003
  • Sony Gold x2 2004 + Sony Silver
  • NTL Station of the Year 2003
  • Stephen Nolan - Best presenter Irish Entertainment Awards 2003
  • Joe Ferguson (radio presenter) - Best presenter Irish Entertainment Awards 2004
  • Marc & Dave - Best Irish Breakfast Show Irish Entertainment Awards 2006
  • IPR Award - News Broadcaster of the Year Marc Mallett 2007
  • PANI Award - The One That Got Away / Production Award - Keith Law 2007
  • Marc & Dave - Best Irish Breakfast Show Irish Entertainment Awards 2007
  • Irish radio station of the year - Irish Entertainment Awards 2007
  • Bronse New York Festival - News Programme 'Belfast Tonight' 2007
  • Arqiva UK Commercial Radio Station of the Year 2007

Under the ownership of Owen Oyston, CityBeat had a couple of short lived affiliate stations on AM, namely Goldbeat 828 (Formerly Townland Radio) in Cookstown, and Heartbeat 1521 (formerly Radio 1521) in Craigavon. Citybeat handed back the licences to the Radio Authority just two years after buying the stations due to lack of commercial viability.[citation needed] Heartbeat was on the air from 1996 to 1999 and Goldbeat broadcast between 1995 and 1999. The licence for Craigavon has to date never been re-advertised however Cookstown was re-advertised on FM in 2002 and was ironically granted back to Citybeat (by now under new ownership of CN group) in February 2003 Mid FM was launched as the local radio station for Mid-Ulster (from the same building and studio as Townland/Goldbeat broadcast). In 2006 Citybeat sold the station to Northern Media (owners of Ballymena 7fm) they rebranded the station to Six FM.

From 2000 to 2004, Citybeat also broadcast RSL stations Castle FM in Carrickfergus and Bangor FM in Bangor to support local festivals. In August 2000 Citybeat also provided Fast FM in Irvinestown as a trial broadcast for the pending commercial licence for Omagh and Enniskillen. The licence was later awarded to Q Network Radios Q101.2.

Prior to its relaunch in 1996, Citybeat was known as BCR or Belfast Community Radio, a community focused station which failed to attract listener interest. BCR launched at 7.30am on 6th April 1990 and managed to stay on the air for six years. BCR presenters prior to the 1996 relaunch included, Mal Reynols, Rick Nugent, Maurice Jay, Mary Johnston, Davy Cunningham, Stuart Robinson, David Cunningham, Owen Beers, Noel Hyndman, Phil Doyle,Lawrence John, David Johnston, Lisa Flavelle, Olive Mellville, Kenny Tosh, Paul Orr, Stephen Nolan, Denise Watson,and Davy Cash. At the time of its demise, BCR was pulling in little over 30,000 listeners. Stuart Robinson was the last presenter on BCR when it switched to Citybeat at midnight on 30th September 1996.

The station broadcast from the basement of Russell Court Complex on Belfast's Lisburn Road. In 1997 (as Citybeat) the station moved to Stranmillis before moving in 2006 to Ormeau Road.

Rick Nugent was the first presenter on BCR who launched the station with 'Maira O'Connell' and 'Feet of a Dancer'. Nugent left when Citybeat stated in 1996 but returned as Stephen Nolan's replacement in 2003 before leaving again in 2005.

  • 96.7FM has now been transmitting across Belfast daily for 17 years, first as BCR, later as Citybeat.
  • The Citybeat 96.7FM news jingle from 1998 is heard in the film Divorcing Jack. The lead character is heard listening to Citybeat presenters at the time Stephen Nolan, Chris Buckler & Christine Bleakley.
  • The last presenter to broadcast on BCR was Stuart Robinson at midnight on 30th September 1996. The last song to be played on BCR was Sacrifice by Elton John. Robinson, is now Citybeats longest serving presenter ever and was also the last voice heard on Citybeat's sister station Radio 1521 (Heartbeat) in Craigavon in August 1999.
  • Belfast born Brian Kennedy was the choice to open the stations new studios in 2006. Kennedy, a Citybeat fan, credits the Belfast station as playing a huge part in his success.
  • Citybeat was 10 years old on 30 September 2006. Stuart Robinson brought Citybeat to life by playing Starship 'We Built This City'.
  • Citybeat's FM transmitters are based on the Black Mountain transmitting station for 96.7FM and the Carnmoney Hill for 102.5FM. Programmes are broadcast from modern studios located on the Ormeau Road close to Belfast city centre.
  • From October 2001, Citybeat has been available on the Northern Ireland Digital Multiplex - giving the station province wide coverage. The 6 digital transmitter sites are Black Mountain (Greater Belfast), Colinward (North Belfast / South East Antrim), Limavady (North Coast), Sherrifs Mountain (Londonderry / North West), Strabane (The West) and Brougher Mountain (Fermanagh & Tyrone).
  • Citybeat's new transmitter broadcasts on 102.5FM and delivers the station to areas previously sheltered by the Cavehill, such as North Belfast, Newtownabbey, Glengormley and Carrickfergus.
  • Citybeat's main 96.7 MHz FM transmitter on Black Mountain has a power output of 600W with mixed polarisation.

Citybeat regularly attracts the largest market share of all commercial radio in Belfast. It's current audience is 146'000 listeners weekly in Belfast, however the station also attracts additional audience on DAB radio across Northern Ireland, as well as online listening which is not included in this figure.

Its main competition is EMAP owned Cool FM. Other main local stations Downtown Radio and U105 also add to the mix but have fewer listeners than Citybeat in Greater Belfast.

The local BBC station is BBC Radio Ulster. In addition all national BBC, RTE and UK/ROI national commercial stations can be received in Belfast. Some pirate stations (mainly operating along the Armagh border) along with a selection of regular RSL stations and 4 full time community stations can also be heard in the Citybeat area. A selection of national digital stations are also available on the Northern Ireland DAB multiplex and Queens Student Radio in Belfast also broadcast on MW/AM.

Outside of Belfast there are 6 smaller local stations and an opt-out for BBC Radio Ulster for the North West known as BBC Foyle.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast_CityBeat"
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